From the airport to the city centre London

London has 6 different airports, with varying degrees of proximity to the city center. The two easiest ways to get from the airports to the city center are by bus and train.

The Heathrow Express costs around £30 and takes 15 minutes to Paddington. Heathrow is also served by the Picadilly Line (longer, but cheaper). The Gatwick Express costs about the same. It takes 30 minutes to Victoria station.

Buses are operated by National Express. Advance tickets from £5 are available for Gatwick, Luton or Stansted, but journeys often take over an hour. Other airports: City, close to the city center, or Southend, the most distant, in East London.

Arrival by train London

London has more than a dozen stations, but if you're arriving by Eurostar(www.eurostar.com/fr-fr) from France or Belgium, you'll arrive at the famous St Pancras station, right in the heart of the city, where there are numerous subway lines. For internal journeys, visit the websites of the various private companies: Virgin Trains, Great Nothern Railway... Or on the most famous comparator: Trainline(www.thetrainline.com). The main stations are King Cross, Victoria, Paddington, Euston and Waterloo.

Arrival by boat London

Departure by boat for the UK from numerous French ports along the English Channel coast: Caen, Le Havre, Dieppe, Calais... You arrive on the south coast of England, usually at Portsmouth. There are 5 ports in England and 8 in France. The companies are as follows: DFDS Seaways (www.dfdsseaways.co.uk), Brittany Ferries(www.brittany-ferries.co.uk) and P&O Ferries(www.poferries.com/eu/portal). The fastest crossing is between Dover and Calais, which takes 1h30.

Public transport London

The London transport map is divided into six concentric zones. Zones 1 and 2 correspond to central London. There's no shortage of public transport in London, and it's very easy to get around. Buses and the Underground are the best ways to get around the city. Extensive intramural bus coverage. Many lines run 24 hours a day. Buses are much cheaper than the Underground. The London Underground comprises 11 lines and 270 stations, each identifiable by its color. They are open from 5 a.m. to midnight. The Victoria, Central, Jubilee, Northern and Piccadily lines operate 24 hours a day on Friday and Saturday evenings. Note that not all stops are served. Although more expensive, the metro is still the fastest way to get around. There are also several Overground lines, a kind of open-air London RER. It encircles zone 1 of the city and is very practical for visiting the East End. And the DLR, Docklands Light Railway, another aerial train that runs from Bank or Tower Gateway.

Each line has its own name and color - Central (red), District (green), Northern (black)... Connections are clearly indicated.

To find your way around, each line runs either north-south or east-west: northbound, southbound, eastbound or westbound.

Information. On the platform, illuminated signs usually indicate the terminus, and maps show the various remaining stations.

Branches. Some lines split at some point or branch off (such as the District or Northern), so check the signs on the platform to find out which metro is going in the desired direction. Beware: some platforms are used by two different lines, so don't get on the first train to arrive and check that it's the right one. To be sure, look for the terminus station, which will be the one indicated on the sign (i.e. the last one), and make sure that your station is on this line.

Smoking is prohibited throughout the network as soon as you cross the barriers (even if the station is in the open air). Since the great fire at King's Cross, where 31 people died in 1987, this rule has been strictly enforced. Failure to comply can result in a hefty fine!

Peak times, when people are crammed in like sardines, coincide with working hours, so claustrophobics may prefer to take the bus or wait for congestion to ease.

To get the best transport fares and make your journey easier , opt for an Oyster card! This is a smart card for urban transport (metro, bus, DLR, streetcar). The card is available at all stations and airports. It costs £5 to buy, and you can then load it with the amount of your choice: £5, 10, 15, 20. Or even a weekly season ticket. At the end of your stay, you can hand it in at station ticket offices and collect the remaining credit and the £5 purchase price. With an Oyster Card, a subway journey costs £2.40 between zones 1 and 2, and £2.90 during rush hour. Peak times are between 6.30am and 9.30am and 4.30pm and 7pm, Monday to Friday. A bus journey costs £1.50 for an hour's travel, during which it is possible to take several lines. A daily limit is applied, which will never exceed the price of the One-Day Travelcard ticket, which is why the Oyster card is so useful. Once the limit has been reached, you pay no more. For two days, we advise you to credit your Oyster Card with £15. For four days: £30.

The suburban lines of National Rail, the British rail company, can be useful, and sometimes much faster. This network is linked to several of the city's subway stations, which are marked with a red symbol on the subway maps. If you want to travel to any part of London by train, your Tube ticket or Travelcard is valid on board the train, as long as the station is within the same validity zone.

There's also a Visitor Oyster card, which you can order in advance of your departure and have delivered to your home, so you're ready to go as soon as you arrive. This avoids queuing at the station. It works on the same principle and also offers discounts in restaurants, stores and galleries.

If you have a contactless CB, you can also use it as a means of payment, tapping it at transport kiosks like an Oyster Card. Whether you use your credit card or your Oyster Card, in the metro you validate as you enter and exit. Otherwise, the maximum fare will apply. On the bus, you only validate on entry. You will be charged a maximum of £8 per day. After 15 journeys, you will no longer be charged!

Children travel free or at reduced fares on public transport in London. Visit the London Transport website for more information: https: //tfl.gov.uk

Bike, scooters & co London

Electric scooters: as in many major European cities, electric scooters are fast becoming the means of transport par excellence in London. Many companies offer scooters for hire, and most of the time, all you have to do is download an app on your phone to pay and unlock the machine in just a few clicks. However, the ride isn't cheap, as it costs around £1 to unlock the scooter, then 15p per minute, so the bill quickly adds up!

Santander self-service bicycles are available. You'll find terminals everywhere, and you can visit the transport website to locate the terminal nearest you. There are over 800 in London. To hire a bike, you need to be over 18. All credit cards are accepted. The cost is £1.63 per half-hour. You pay at the kiosk and then obtain an unlocking code. With this code, you can use the same bike for 24 hours. There are also Lime bikes and Uber Jump bikes all over the city. They are available with an app.

With a driver London

London cabs, or Black Cabs as the locals call them, are easy to spot. They all belong to the same company and have a slightly retro style, with a common model: the Austin FX4. These are the city's official cabs. They're on every street corner. The fare is calculated by the meter, as in France. It increases according to the distance covered and the length of the journey. The basic fare, which covers pick-up, is around £4. A supplement is added for travel to Heathrow airport and at certain times, particularly at weekends and at night. They are generally more expensive than in France. They can accommodate up to five people. As in most major cities, you can also use VTC applications such as Uber, or Kapten, which has the advantage of offering a fixed price.

By car London

By car, you reach the UK by ferry or Eurotunnel. Once in London, you have two options. Leave your car in a parking lot at the shuttle or ferry exit, then continue by train or coach to London, or drive to the capital. Once in London, we strongly advise you to leave your car in one of the peripheral parking lots. Transport is very efficient. A car is not a practical way to visit London, as parking lots are expensive and spaces scarce. You can use the Parkopedia website(www.parkopedia.com) to find a parking lot close to your accommodation, or the JustPark website(www.justpark.com/uk/parking/london), which owns most of the parking lots in London. You are entitled to drive in the UK with a non-UK driving license for 12 months from the time of your arrival. Your vehicle must comply with safety standards.

To drive in central London you will have to pay a special tax, the congestion charge or congestion charge. It aims to reduce traffic congestion in central London. It's a daily charge of £15. It applies Monday to Friday from 7am to 6pm. It is controlled by surveillance cameras, which record plates and ensure that the fee has been paid. It is clearly demarcated by signs and road markings. To this can be added the T-charge, a new tax aimed at reducing the rate of air pollution in the city. It applies on weekdays to vehicles deemed too polluting, i.e. those registered before 2006. Speed limits are indicated in Mph(Miles per hour) and not in km/h. In urban areas, the limit is 30 Mph. And above all, don't forget that we drive on the left!

Airports, railway stations and ports all have numerous rental agencies if you want to travel around London by car. Always use a reputable agency. You must be at least 22 years old to rent a car in England, and young drivers will have to pay a supplement. Your European driving license is valid for renting a car. Don't forget to bring your identity card with you.

Accessibility London

London is often an early city, except in terms of accessibility. There are indeed few metro stations with elevators. They are often very deep and many escalators and stairs must be used. And there is almost always a step between the platform and the train, the famous gap. It is then necessary to privilege the bus, the English drivers are delighted to help and very available. Check the transport website for more information on accessibility: https://tfl.gov.uk/?cid=pp004 Metro stations without walking are often well indicated on the plans.

Tourist traps London

For public transport, don't opt for the more expensive day ticket. Take an Oyster Card. You can then top it up as needed.